The MESS Plan
by Marauder Shagger
Summary: Edward and Bella are recently engaged - happily too. There's just one problem. Edward wants to wait for the wedding, with no substitutes for sex in the meantime. So what does Bella do? Forms the MESS Plan, of course! Step 1: Move in together. AH/AU.
1. He Brought It On Himself

**Preamble**

**Chapter 1: He Brought It On Himself**

It was a typical Thursday night, really. It started out that way at least.

I was lying on the sofa in my pajamas - and Edward not because we were at my apartment and he'd have to go back to his soon. There was some throw-away movie I'd bought on PayPerView playing; interesting enough that maybe after Edward left I'd watch it on my own. Because right now? Right now, Edward and I were studiously not watching it as we made out on my couch like sixteen year olds.

I ran my hands through his hair, feeling the ring he'd finally given me two weeks ago heavy on my finger (it's existence a constant presence on my mind, even though it was quite light, and just right for me.) We'd been dating for three years now, since we were seventeen. And now we were engaged.

It had come as a surprise to everyone (including me and him) that I was actually, absolutely _ecstatic_ about it. All my life my mom had raised me to believe that people didn't get married until they were thirty. Up until two weeks ago, I agreed.

But my mom supported my decision, and that was all I needed to not feel any regret about my choice at all. Edward really was my other half. We knew years ago that we were in it for the long haul. With him, that idea had never seemed scary.

_Him_.

"Edward," I moaned lightly as I planted my feet firmly on the couch, lifting my hips into the air to grind against his. Automatically, he ground back making us both groan.

We had yet to have sex, but I had thought that since we were engaged that would change. Nothing so far, but maybe he didn't want to rush it. I could respect that. But that didn't mean I couldn't give him a little nudge in a faster direction.

We _had_, however, participated many times in…substitutions, for sex. And I was hoping to at least get _that _tonight, if nothing else. It'd been a busy week so far in school. I wanted some relaxation time.

The sound of our ragged breathing was driving me insane with want. When our mouths separated, I darted my tongue out and l licked his lips, softly sucking it into my mouth and feasting upon his delicious taste. His mouth was hot and wet. I loved every second of it.

My hands spread through his hair until one of them decided to venture elsewhere, softly scraping down his t-shirt clad back. I pressed my palm flat and slid it down, loving the rippling texture of his muscles. He shifted, panting, as his hands began to wander too from their safe position around my neck and waist.

"Mmm…touch me," I moaned, my head falling back, disconnecting my mouth from his. He compensated by trailing down a string of open-mouthed, heated kisses, licking and sucking where needed. My hands clasped the bottom of his t-shirt and I lifted it up and over his head quickly, needing to see and feel his bare chest.

He mimicked me, yanking off my tank top as if it had done him a personal wrong and flinging it elsewhere. His kisses trailed lower and he hummed against my skin when he reached the valley between my breasts, nipping at the bare flesh and making me gasp. "I love when you go braless," he murmured lowly, his tongue dragging slowly and deliberately upward to one of my hardened nipples, before finally encasing it in the heated space of his mouth, sucking vigorously.

His other hand was making quick work of my drawstring pajama bottoms, shoving them and my underwear down to my thighs. I shimmied against him, effectively pushing them down farther and rubbing my body all over his. He inhaled sharply, breaking his mouth's contact with my breast.

"Vixen," he growled as I giggled, smothering my lips with his as his hands went to my hips, grinding me harder against him. My hands struggled down to unbutton and unzip his jeans, kicking them off his body, my legs parting around him as I did so, nestling him deeper in between my thighs. I kept his boxers on. Edward made a rule a long time ago about how only one of us could be completely naked at one time.

His head suddenly snapped up from mine as if he had remembered something, eyes widening. "Bella - sorry, I shouldn't have let it get this f - "

Uh-oh. The tone of his voice told me that was going no where I wanted it to. Without letting him finish I kissed him hard again, cutting off his voice, as my hand snaked into the waistband of his boxers and grabbed his cock. He gasped as it jumped, arms starting to shake around me, kissing harder.

He was now sufficiently distracted and back in the mood. Bingo.

He was long and hard in my hands, soft skin covering an obviously rigid length. God, it kept me up at nights panting and sweating when I was on my own, imagining this - _him _- inside of me one day.

I trailed my fingers lightly up to the tip of his cock, feeling some of his pre-cum leaking out. I swirled that around the head and then started to stroke him, grinding my core against his pelvic bones, attempting to stimulate my clit.

"I got you baby," he panted into my ear, caressing my side firmly on his hand's way down to my center. His fingers trailed up and down my slit lightly, spreading the moisture around his fingers and bringing it up to rub my bundle of nerves, moistening it too with his thumb. I gasped, my eyes rolling back slightly, almost forgetting my rhythm of strokes on him. Almost.

"Edward!" I cried out when two of his fingers speared inside me without warning, taking me by surprise because of the teasing touches before. Our hips rocked in tandem, a coil tightening in my stomach.

His fingers curled and moved, stretching me and petting my inner walls with lustful, adoring curiosity. I bit my lip as it became too much, a peak almost being reached. My grip on him tightened and I started pulling harder.

"What have I told you about muffling your noises Bella?" he whispered against my neck, lapping at my skin devotedly. I immediately released my teeth's grip on my lower lip. His fingers were still thrusting, his finger rubbing my nub harder and harder. My hips were jerking in uneven, sharp motions.

Edward wasn't doing much better. He was pumping into my hand faster, his mouth dropping sloppy kisses on my body.

"Come on," he whispered. "Come for me. _Now_." He jerked his fingers farther in, as far as they would go. His thumb pressed my clit flat, rubbing circles.

The coil inside me erupted, and I was screaming, my grip tightening so much on Edward's cock that he came too, chanting my name, spilling all over the inside of his boxers.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as he laid on my chest in post-coital bliss for many, many minutes, trying to find my breath and my mind. My heart was racing, body shaking.

He could always do this to me.

I sighed happily when I'd recovered some, running my fingers through his hair. He sighed too, but it sounded defeated as he nuzzled his head in between my breasts.

"You distracted me earlier," he accused.

I shrugged lightly, not bothering to deny it.

He groaned in frustration. "You always do this to me," he breathed against my still slightly-damp skin. "I don't even think when I'm around you. And I had something to bring up that was the complete _opposite _of what we just did."

I froze, sensing the same danger as earlier. This wasn't going to end well.

"What do you mean?" I asked slowly, not sure I wanted to hear the answer.

He sat up, grabbing his jeans off the floor and shoving them on. He fished out my bottoms and top, handing them to me. "Please?" he asked, grinning that crooked smile I couldn't resist even at gun point. Damn him. "You're mighty distracting to me when you're naked, love."

"Maybe I _want_ to distract you," I grumbled, pulling on my clothes again without much enthusiasm. I sighed, leaning against the arm of my couch. "Alright. What is it you were thinking about?"

He held out his hand and I took it, unable to resist as he pulled me over to snuggle into his side. The movie was still playing on my TV, though it was turned down low.

"Just that…well, you know I want to wait until the wedding," he stated. I knew what he meant. Sex. "And I just thought that…it would be more special if…I mean, we'll be getting married in only four months. So…if we held back from, _pleasuring _the other until then, then the wedding night would be - would feel - even better. And I want that for us."

I traced patterns on his jeans, staring fixedly at them. "So basically what you're saying is…you want no sexual activity at all in these upcoming months before we get married? Right?"

"Yes." He sounded relieved that I didn't sound particularly angry yet.

But inside my head, wheels were turning.

I knew that honestly, I didn't have a choice in this matter. Even if I told him no, he would still try to hold off as much as he could. It would never work out for me - because Edward always got his way. Not that it was necessarily his fault. I always let him. I can't help it.

So I was going to have to agree to this "idea" of his.

But I'll be damned if I actually intend to follow it. It was like a diet. I was going to shake my head and pretend to eat the carrots and celery, but as soon as he's not looking...BAM! Chocolate for me baby.

Because you know, I was perfectly willing to wait until the wedding to have sex with him before. If that's what he wanted, then fine. No big deal. We've got substitutes to relieve the frustrations in the mean time.

But now he wanted to take _those _out too?

Well sorry Cullen. You've done it now. You've left me with no other choice - but to steal your virtue and my own as well. There's going to be no escaping this one.

He's giving it up before the wedding. He's giving it up hard.

There was no alternative.

~*~

A couple hours later he left to go back to his own apartment, kissing me sweetly good-bye as he whispered his love into my ear, thanking me for being so cooperative.

It was all I could do to resist snorting. You wait Edward. Just you wait.

This was going to take planning. I knew that now. No one had more self-control or cleverness than my fiancé. This was going to have to be handled smoothly and delicately. Not my strongest areas, but you do what you have to do.

I sat up at my desk late into the night with a piece of paper in front of me. The only light came from the orange glow of my desk lamp. I tapped my pen against my teeth, contemplating.

This plan was going to require close contact at all times. He needed to be consumed at all times by me so he had no time to sit down and talk himself out of it if I ever made any kind of headway. At this point, it was the only firm course of action that I knew of to take first.

A grin unfurled across my mouth. Well, if we _were _getting married in not too long a time, we _should _be living together by then…and what's a couple months in advance? I wouldn't be able to approach him with the idea tomorrow - it was too soon. He'd get suspicious. But it was a perfectly logical course of action for us to take in our relationship. How could he really tell me no?

He couldn't.

Mwuahaha.

I uncapped my pen and began to write.

**Step 1: Move in with the could-be Sex God.**

I nodded. There was a long road ahead of me; I was aware of that now. But it was a road I was willing to take.

And thus, the MESS Plan was born.

Or, the Make Edward Seriously Succumb Plan, if you will.

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A/N: Haha, lots of fun possibilities with this story and I'm eager to get there. Review please and I should update soon!

**- Marauder Shagger**


	2. So Long As It's His Idea

**Chapter Two: So Long as It's "His" Idea**

I waited eight days before I brought the topic up of moving.

One week and one day after The Last Night Edward Brought Me To Release - for the time being. I thought of bringing it up the Wednesday after the fact, but Alice had cautioned me not to. Six days? Less than week. Too soon. Could hint at suspicion. And don't even get me started at warning against doing an _exact_ week after - the following Thursday. That would probably be the day he would _most _be looking for signs of resistance or trouble from me, because it was like an anniversary of it. But eight days? Eight days was just long enough.

Yes, I had talked to Alice. I had no choice - she was the one person who I knew I could turn to for help on this. Even though she was Edward's sister.

It was weird. But long ago I had come to terms with the fact that Alice was my best friend, so I really had no choice but _to _talk to her about close things like this. She would be way too hurt if I didn't. And she showed a remarkable detachment to her brother when I confessed personal secrets - never graphic, just a general gist of the scenarios. She was very suave in how she listened like he wasn't her brother - and gave advice like they weren't related either. It was only after the whole girl-to-girl chats were over and done with that she would allow herself the privilege of wrinkling her nose and screaming "Ew!" Or else laughing.

On the other hand, I had to congratulate myself too on my ability to even talk to her about this - trust me, it got weird sometimes. But as Alice was my best friend and was on my side, but she was also Edward's sister so knew a lot about him, she was able to help me in ways nobody else would even be able to think of or comprehend.

I had another friend, Angela, I could talk to sometimes, but honestly I didn't really think we were close enough to talk about anything…ahem…_personal _personal. Behind-close-doors personal. Sex-related stuff personal. She was just so sweet and innocent appearing. I would feel like a big sleaze bringing it up. Or like one of those moms that talk about their sex lives to other moms when they're waiting for their kids to finish their ballet lessons. In detail.

Yes. I have been an unwilling witness to one of those conversations when the mothers were so caught up, I suppose, they didn't realize their kids were heading towards them because class was over. I didn't really understand what was said at the time, but I _remembered_ what was said, and when I got older I _did _understand it. Unfortunately.

There's a whole about my mother I wish I didn't know.

Anyway, today was the eighth day and, thanks to Alice's possibly most ingenious scheme yet, today would be the day Edward would agree to let me move in with him.

Me, Edward, and Alice all had class today - unfortunately - but they were later in the morning so, by instruction of Alice, we were all going to meet up for some coffee this morning. Edward would swing by to pick me up, and I had planned to sleep in until the last possible second before I had to get ready.

However, my plans were not exactly anonymous with somebody else's apparently.

I was cuddled into my warm bed, having a nice dream about Edward petting my hair and stroking my back, and then petting and stroking…other places, when I was abruptly awoken by the shrill tone of my cell phone going off.

I gasped and sat up, looking around wildly for the source of the noise in my still half-asleep haze when my brain finally registered it as my phone. Groaning, I scrambled for it before falling back into my pillows and hitting the talk button.

"Hello?" I grumbled crankily into the receiver.

"Hello sunshine!"

I scowled and through a glance at my alarm clock. "Argh, Alice! It's only eight! I had a good half hour before I was going to get up."

"Bella, it _should _be taking you an _hour_ to get ready for the day," she answered seriously, sounding like I had disappointed her. Which I had, no doubt. I had many arguments ready for her comment, but decided it wasn't worth it right now.

"It's too early for this. What did you want?"

"Okay, well, I just wanted to make sure you remembered the plan. And please, PLEASE at least _try _to act? Go for some _genuine _surprise please?"

I scowled. "I already said I'd try my best," I hissed. "_I'm _the one who wants this happen."

Alice giggled. "Oh, my poor idiot brother. How did he think he could get away with this? I mean, really now. It's like he doesn't know you."

I frowned. "I wonder what's up with that too. Maybe he gives my responsibility and virtue too much credit. Undeserved credit for the latter."

"Or maybe he thinks that you'll actually respect his wishes like he respects yours."

"Yeah, but my wishes are never huge ones like this that affect both of us!"

"…Apparently they are Bella. Are you not, at this very moment, plotting to take the both of your virginity?"

"…"

"That's what I thought."

"Well this is different! He started it." Alice laughed and was about to respond to that little piece of early morning immaturity but I cut her off. "Okay, I got it, try to be a good actress. Check. See you in about an hour."

"Well good-bye to you too."

I hung up and stuck my tongue out at my alarm clock. Now I only had twenty minutes left to doze.

And twenty minutes later, at the exact moment that my alarm clock went off and I was supposed to get up, my phone rang. This time, though, I knew who it was and it was anticipated.

"Morning love," came the beautiful voice on the other end. I was immediately more awake but comfortably so - smiling even. "Your personal morning wake-up call, at your service."

Now, before this whole "agreement" thing, I could've made quite a few dirty comments with that. As it was, however, I had to hold it in, especially today, or he'd get suspicious later when the move-in topic was brought up. Slyly. Once again, it was impressive how well I was holding up and holding in.

"Thanks," I smiled, and my voice came out much more gently - and shy and devoted and every other thing a person head-over-heels in love sounds like - than I'd planned. Because, yes, he was challenging me at the moment. But I could only find it in myself to be mad when he wasn't around. When he was, even on the phone, everything else seemed to melt away. Three years of memories passed through my mind, from all the way back to my beginning day at Forks High when a bronze-haired god sent his crooked smile my way for the first time, up to three weeks ago when he went down on one knee to ask me to marry him, with green eyes so nervous and loving I could've cried. Which, I did. "I suppose I should get up and get ready now then."

"I suppose so too," he murmured quietly, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll see you in half an hour. I love you."

"I love you too," I whispered, my heart giving the same _athump-thump _it always gave when he said he loved me. I'm such a sap. "Bye."

Sighing, I stood up stretched, before stumbling over to my dressers and pulling out something to wear for the day. I ambled on into my bathroom to shower, and I smiled while shampooing my hair, thinking of a time soon when I would be in Edward's bathroom doing this every morning. _Happy sigh._

Mwuahahahaha.

* * *

At nine o'clock sharp there were a series of neat raps on my door.

I finished tying up the laces of my shoes before standing up and opening the door, greeting the wonderful man behind it with my happiest smile.

"Hey!" I said enthusiastically, jumping into his arms.

Edward laughed, catching me with his warm, strong embrace. "Hello," he grinned back, and then bent his head to give me my good-morning kiss.

Well, it certainly made it turn into a good morning. A little tongue, nothing too heated for this hour, but a sweet little reminder of love and affection.

Perfect.

I continued smiling and kept my eyes closed a moment or two after he pulled away, just taking in how good it felt to be in his arms, with my lips tingling from his recent kiss. Everyday should start like this.

Edward kissed me softly once more before taking my hand and leading me down to his car. "And how are you this morning?" he asked.

"Better," I winked, and his smile grew. "But it'd be much better yet if there weren't all these stairs to walk down." I gave a little sigh, feeling a little checkmark tick itself into place inside my head. Edward's apartment was only on a second-floor. Many stairs less to climb than my fourth-floor one.

Plan Mess initiated.

Ground-work set.

And Edward was none the wiser.

"Don't feel like walking huh?" he asked, throwing me a cheeky grin, eyes mischievous but not suspicious. I didn't even get a chance to respond before he was throwing me on his back, piggy-back style, and walking down the stairs like nothing happened.

"Edward!" I squealed. "I can _walk_."

"But you don't want to," he pointed out simply. "So I'm allowing you to not do so."

I sighed, and just held on, ignoring the looks I got from one of the neighbors on their way up.

The ride in the flashy silver S60R was short and far less eventful.

Alice was already sitting at a booth with a drink sitting before her when we entered the coffee shop, hand in hand. Good thing too, because it was already pretty full and noisy at this hour. Edward moved his hand to place it on the small of my back, leaning down to speak in my ear. "I'll go get the drinks. What would you like?"

"Surprise me," I told him, giving him a quick kiss before walking off to go join Alice.

"Bella!" she exclaimed when I sat down. "It is good to see you. This is the first time we have spoken this morning." She spoke like a bad actress delivering lines poorly. I bit the inside of my cheek to hide a smile. She looked serious. "And _that_," she said. "Is what I _don't _want you sounding like."

"I get it already. Yeesh," I muttered, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. We deliberately started talking about nonessential things to get me in the mindset of normalcy. Edward slid into the booth beside me a few minutes later, a java-chip frappuccino being placed in front of my clasped hands. God I love this man, even if he is ridiculous sometimes.

He smiled crookedly at me as I said thank you, his eyes bright and innocent. And…there it was.

The stirrings of guilt.

He wasn't deliberately trying to torture and frustrate me. And I _know _he was only trying to do what he thought best for us, and more specifically, _me_…

Luckily, at that moment, my eyes shifted to Alice and she saved me. When our eyes met, hers widened, snapping me out of my green-eyed-brain-washed guilt. _Come back! _her grey eyes screamed. _Remember yourself and your mission!_

My mission, right. The Plan.

I nodded fractionally, and she looked relieved, nodding slightly too.

Thankfully, Edward didn't seem to notice.

And then, Alice started it.

"Bella," she frowned, sipping her drink. "Your hair's kind of frizzing. Did you not blow-dry it?"

"Alice," Edward snapped, running his fingers through my hair gently. "Her hair looks fine. How can you tell anyway?"

Here goes nothing. I took in a deep breath before shrugging nonchalantly. "It's fine Edward. She's right in any case." I sighed. "The power went out briefly, so I didn't want to bother in case it happened again."

Alice's frowned deepened, her eyes growing thoughtful. "Your apartment complex does that more than it should."

Edward started to frown as well. _Yes! _"Yeah, you've told me it does that more than I like to hear too."

I shrugged again and leant into Edward's side, "disheartened," as I sipped my frappuccino. "Well, what can you do?"

"There's a whole lot you can do," Alice encouraged. "I dunno, you could talk to the landlords, right?"

I snorted. "Doubt it. They never get anything fixed. I might as well just deal with it."

Edward's hand was tense as he ran it up and down my arm. I glanced up at him, and he was looking away, his eyes thoughtful and serious, mouth turned down in a frown. I brought my thumb up to one corner and tried to push it up. I smiled at him when he glanced down.

"Don't worry about it Edward," I consoled. "I mean, it's only four more months until we're married, and then I can move out." I half-shrugged, a brave martyr. "I'll survive until then. I always do."

He didn't say anything, still deep in thought, as he kissed the top of my head. I turned slightly and Alice winked.

Alice and I chatted casually for a couple more minutes, but then Edward was tugging me up gently and dragging me back to his car to drive me to my class. I turned back to Alice and she was giggling silently and jumping up and down. She flashed me a thumbs up and mouthed, '_This is going to work! Good luck!'_

Edward and I held hands as he drove to the campus and when he pulled up in front of the right building, his grip tightened.

"Bella…" He hesitated.

I turned to him, blinking in innocent, ignorant surprise. "Yes?"

"I…" He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I was just thinking…I mean, you're free to say no, it was just an idea…It's just, I know we were planning on moving in together after we got married, but…seriously, what's a few months beforehand? That'll help to make sure everything's settled anyway. And I hate not being able to take care of you when you're at your apartment. And it's obvious the landlords aren't taking care of you the way they should…Like I said," he added hastily. "It's just an idea and I understand - "

"I'd love to!" I beamed at him. "That would be wonderful. Thanks. I don't know why I didn't think of that."

He smiled softly at me. "There's no need to thank me sweetheart. I love you." He put his hand behind my neck and pulled me in for a sweet kiss. "I'll see you after class," he breathed.

Dazed, I nodded, stumbling from the car. "Bye," I waved, heading into the building when he started to pull his car away.

I didn't let myself smile until I was safely inside, but then I let the evil grin unfurl.

I pulled out my cell phone and sent a quick text to Alice.

_B: Mwuahahahahaha!_

**

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Review please!

**- Marauder Shagger**


	3. Step 2

**Step 2: Get In His Bed**

"I think I'm just going to throw everything I own away," I grumbled. "I had no idea I had so much crap."

"I don't know, I think this is pretty fun," Edward grinned. "Going through your closet. You have a lot of things in here I didn't know you had, or I forgot you had."

"That is true," I sighed, crumbling against his side with exasperation. We'd been sitting here in front of my closet for an hour, in essence cleaning it out, as I decided what to take with me and what could be thrown away. We were only about half way done.

Edward rubbed the side of my arm encouragingly, and reached into the closet again. We were almost done with everything sitting on the floor. Then we had the upper shelves to worry about.

Edward pulled out a medium size blue shoe box, and it vaguely sparked a memory but, as I was learning, I couldn't remember what was in most of the boxes shoved in here.

"Let's see what's in lucky box number one hundred," Edward mumbled, pulling the lid off. He started to smile as he pulled out a big white envelope, the kind that would hold pictures. "Do you know what pictures these are?" he asked, waving the envelope vaguely.

I shook my head. "I've taken a lot of pictures, and they all kind of get scattered together, so they could be a lot of different ones."

"There's a lot in here," he said excitedly, assessing the thickness of the paper. He carefully opened it, keeping it in tact, before turning it upside down and sliding the stack of photos into his capable hand.

I snuggled closer, eager too to see what memories lay in his palm, forever embedded to the glossy paper.

The first picture sent a pleasurable jolt through my system. It was a picture of Edward taken in my kitchen, soon after I had met him and we'd become friends. My mom had given me a camera as a good-bye present, and his was the first picture I'd ever taken with it, though I'd had it for over a month. He was grinning his crooked grin, trying not to look self-conscious as I snapped his photo.

"Ugh," the Edward next to me said, shaking his head in disgust. "I hate this picture."

"Psh, I love this picture!" I huffed, grabbing it from him and setting it next to me, in a new pile I was mentally calling the pictures I didn't want to go back in storage.

I analyzed the picture and then looked at the man next to me. The seventeen year old Edward was obviously a lot more boyish than the twenty year old next to me. Not by much, but enough to notice that his cheeks had hollowed out some, his torso, though still lean, more muscular and stronger looking. His eyes were still as playful and serious as they'd oxymoronically been when I'd met him, but now they had a touch more wisdom. And more happiness.

Edward watched my back and forth analysis with half-embarrassed, half-amused eyes. "What?" he said lowly, a light blush in his cheeks.

I just shook my head, smiling as I put my hand behind his neck and pulled him to me for a deep kiss. He wrapped a hand in my hair, tugging my body to his lap, the photos on the floor and forgotten. "Just thinking about how much I love you," I whispered when we pulled away for air, playing with the silky bronze strands at the base of his neck.

"As I love you," he murmured. "And…this picture," he grinned, lifting the next one off the pile. "It was a picture he'd snapped in retaliation to the one I'd taken of him. It was Alice and I playing around. I don't remember exactly what we were saying, but it somehow led to us making goofy faces.

Thus, the picture.

"I at least have _justification_ to not like this one," I muttered, and Edward chuckled.

I sat on his lap for over half an hour as we scoured through the pictures, laughing and recalling the better ones. Some of the pictures were doubles, some were bad, blurry shots, some pictures just snapshots of random places or things that for some reason I must've wanted to preserve. Some I could remember. Some I could not. All of those pictures went in the 'back to the shoe box' pile, because I wasn't going to throw any pictures away. That didn't seem right to me. Pictures were the solid apparitions of our memories, remembering with better clarity things that we can't. It didn't seem right to throw away memories.

And there was still a formidable pile of pictures that I was keeping out of storage, for putting somewhere else. These were the ones Edward and I were quite fond of, or one of us was.

The last picture taken dated back to over a year ago, so these were all relatively old, but they brought back wonderful memories.

Edward and I at prom in junior year; something he'd dragged me to. He was flawless and smiling his trademark grin at me in a black tuxedo, his hands on my hips as we grinded together. I was nervous at first, in my heels and a French dress Esme had insisted upon buying for me at Alice's request. But I'd learned that all the girls kicked their shoes off at their table or against the sides of the wall soon after arriving anyway. And even though I hadn't wanted to go, I had learned that the kind of dancing we were doing - grinding and just moving - was easier than I thought. I looked blissful - and slightly horny - in his arms. Because I was. With my god of a boyfriend, my first ever boyfriend and, coincidentally enough, the man of my dreams. Alice had probably snapped the picture from the sidelines, or maybe her boyfriend Jasper. Or 'soul mate' as she liked to put it.

Another one was of Edward and I at a beach in Florida in our senior year, when we should've been at prom again. I'd put my foot down though, and we went to visit my mother instead. Even Edward had agreed later that it was a better decision. It was more of a silhouette picture than anything. My mother liked to take un-posed pictures, and it had been sunset. Edward and I were sitting next to each other, arms around the other one, watching the grey waves sparkle and glisten with orange and red light. She'd taken it from the back. The outlines of our heads - our hair - was basically the only part of us that wasn't deep brown and black with shadow.

One of the last ones we saw was also one of my personal favorites. It was pretty soon after we'd moved into college here in New Hampshire, into our respective apartments. Alice had so much stuff though, with her and Jasper living together, that they'd still needed help moving in. After a full day of moving stuff around and dealing with the emotional exhaustion of both Alice's _and _Edward's neurotic and obsessive need to have everything perfect - I blame the interior decorating designer that is their mother - I'd finally lain down on the floor, not prepared to be screamed at for wrinkling a duvet or anything, ready to pass out. Sensing - and seeing - that I was totally burnt out, Edward came over guiltily and laid down beside me. The picture was taken when I'd finally passed into slumber, blissfully unaware of it. My head was resting on his stomach, my hand softly gripping his t-shirt, taking comfort in having him there. One of his hands was behind his head, the other resting on my back.

But my favorite part were his eyes. He hadn't realized the picture was being taken but that didn't matter. Even if he had, no one, not even as good an actor as he is, could've faked the look of complete and utter devotion and love in his eyes as he watched me sleep, a small smile on his face.

It was so real. So undeniably there. I felt safe and loved and protected, just looking at it.

Edward understood my feeling as I admired the picture.

"I'm glad that you believe in me," he murmured, leaning forward to nuzzle under my earlobe, kissing the skin softly. "It lets me know that I've done something right."

"You've done lots of things right," I corrected automatically.

Well…except for _one _thing recently.

But he couldn't be perfect, and it was up to me to fix it.

I knew that what I was doing could be seen as morally corrupt. And maybe it was but…see, Edward is a very stubborn person. And a perfectionist. And quite bossy on occasion…dominant. Normally, that fit me very well. We complemented each other. While I was stubborn as well, and quite OCD at times, I was also quite content with going with the flow most of the time. I didn't care where furniture went, I didn't really care about what I wore, I didn't really care about a lot of decisions that seemed small to me. But very few things were 'small' to Edward. So we worked out fine.

Except when we came to big decisions like this. That's usually where our stubbornness met, shook hands politely, and refused to move out of the other's way.

Not always. But sometimes.

Like this time.

Edward meant well. But changing was hard for him. When he made a decision, he generally stuck with it. He could be black-and-white like that.

Me? While I stuck to my decisions as well, I was much more grey.

Edward _thought _that this abstinence, this insistence that our first time be in marriage, was the right thing. He said for the both of us, but I knew what that meant.

For _me._

I very seriously doubted it would devastate him to have sex before marriage.

But he thought that I would come to regret it.

That was what he decided upon, and I knew it wouldn't matter if I told him he was dead wrong, that I didn't want to do this, that I wanted to do _him_, right now; he wouldn't agree and he would find a way to get his way.

It was an endearing quality about him most of the time.

But now, it was going to be a lesson in structure.

And how structure can move. He couldn't live always fearing an earthquake.

I needed to rock his world.

~*~

It had been a month. A month since our abstinence 'agreement'. Since I had started the MESS Plan. And it had been about three weeks since 'Edward' had suggested the move.

And I was finally, completely, totally moved in.

The papers had been signed on my old apartment; all my stuff packed in boxes or else thrown away; some new stuff had been bought for Edward's apartment to accommodate for a second person; and tonight would be the first night that I would be sleeping over as a permanent resident.

I'd slept over with him before obviously. But that had been before the 'agreement' (and I will always use that term loosely). The only times I'd slept over in this past month had been when we'd both passed out on his couch or something from exhaustion after our work of prepping his apartment for my arrival.

To avoid temptation, as Edward put it, my room was to be the cozy guest bedroom. It was nice it was true - I was hardly being stowed away. It was right next to his room. But the only way it could ever be appealing to me would be if he were in it with me.

So.

Step 2: Get in his bed.

This was going to have to be handled delicately and gradually, even more so than the first step. This wasn't going to happen overnight, I knew that already. It would be taking one step forward and one step back I knew, for quite some time. A couple weeks maybe. I was hoping to shorten that though. With only three months left until the wedding, my time constraint was looking smaller than ever, even though three months should seem like plenty of time.

Not when you have to move carefully though.

But it was alright.

I had a mini-plan already planned in my big plan, right for that step 2. I didn't right _that _in my notebook.

But it would definitely work. I didn't even need Alice's help or her intuitive foresight to know that.

Mwuahahahaha.

~*~

I logged onto my laptop quickly on my desk. I was in my room and quite alone. Edward was at class. But he'd be getting home soon. It was unfortunate that my first day here in heaven, where Edward was, with the last of my things having finally been taken from my apartment and placed here appropriately, would also be a Monday. Urgh. I'd had classes earlier, which is why I couldn't do this before, but Edward had one more class than me and I'd driven home to check on my plan.

The skies outside my window were grey and wet to be sure.

But I needed it to storm for this to believable.

Or else I was going to have to do some acting as a Plan B, and I wanted to avoid that if it was possible, so he would have less chance to see right through me.

I clicked onto my internet server and went straight for the weather site, my eyes narrowing and scanning the daily forecast.

A picture off to the side, with today's date below it, showed a picture with a grey cloud with a crack of gold lightning coming from it.

My mouth slowly unfurled into a mischievous grin. Perfect. This had all worked out very well.

My eyes glanced at the time in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen and I sighed. I was going to have to leave for work soon. Which meant I probably wouldn't have time to see Edward before he got home.

Still. I had enough time to make him a sandwich for lunch. I dressed quickly in my uniform, black pants, green shirt, and my nametag before going out to the kitchen and quickly preparing a simple sandwich for Edward, and one for myself, which I ate in the car ride to the book store I worked at.

I was really happy with my job. It was only part-time, obviously, but I couldn't have picked a better place for me to work at for now. I got a discount for the objects I loved so dearly, and I got a wide range of interesting titles and subjects for me to explore, expanding my library with works I would never have thought I would have liked. I got to keep up to date with the most popular books, and was even privileged to come across forgotten, dusty jewels. I could talk to people about books, and expertly find them their selections faster than most of my fellow employees.

I was very pleased and proud to be an asset; to be good at what I did, when I rarely excelled past others.

So I most usually came home in a good mood when I got off work at eight. Today was no exception.

"Hello?" I called when I entered. I was glad that I'd had a key to his apartment for a long time, so I wasn't self-conscious about letting myself in as I might have been otherwise - and I had been in the beginning.

"In the kitchen," Edward called amiably, his warm voice floating into the hall to send pleasant shivers down my spine.

I walked inside the warm, familiar space, with its black countertops and clean, sleek furnishings. "Hey," he grinned at me, looking up from a textbook and his laptop.

I smiled back, admiring his form-fitting white t-shirt. "Hey to you too. Have you eaten yet?" I asked, walking over to his cabinets - I already knew where everything was from previous stays over here - and pulling out a pot, a strainer, and a lid to start some pasta.

"No," he said, going back to his work. "And thanks for the lunch earlier - it was really nice coming home to that."

I smiled from my place at the sink, filling up the pot with water. "Don't get used to it," I teased, even though we both knew it was a lie.

I put the pot on the stove and turned the oven on. I had already taken on the meals wordlessly as my responsibility, because I'd had some experience with his cooking. He may be almost perfect, and completely perfect for me, but the man can hardly make a bowl of cereal without burning it.

I bustled around the kitchen some more, pulling out sauce, a frying pan, and some pieces of chicken to go with the pasta. It was an easy, normal routine and I fell into it easily, even starting to hum tunelessly as Edward typed and turned pages in his book. I was just finishing up the parmesan chicken and unloading it onto a plate, the pasta only having a few more minutes to cook when I felt familiar hands rest themselves lightly on my hips. I almost jumped with surprise, not having heard him stop working or get up.

I felt his warm breath hit my neck, his wild hair tickle the exposed skin of my neck before I felt his lips press softly against my neck, igniting stinging fire where he touched, that slowly spread and pricked delightfully underneath my skin.

"I mean, it seems so obvious to me," Edward murmured thoughtfully next to my ear, as if we were picking up on a conversation we had dropped a little while ago, "That I don't think I've said it yet, but…I'm really happy you're here Bella. More than I could tell you."

I bit my lip shyly, my cheeks burning alongside my eyes. "Thank you," I whispered shakily. "I'm glad. I was a little worried."

"About what?" His voice was concerned, his grip on my hips tightening.

"I don't know…that you'd start to feel overwhelmed maybe. Especially with everything else."

He chuckled behind me and shook his head, lips brushing my hair. "Bella, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me if it was going to overwhelm me to have you around."

_Oh, it is going to overwhelm you,_ I quietly assured him in my head, _Just in all the _right _ways instead._

I turned around and rested my hands on his strong shoulders, kissing him lightly. "Thank you for telling me that," I murmured. "Really. I needed to hear it."

He smiled crooked and slowly took a step back, his hands slipping from me regretfully, letting me return to my cooking.

We ate dinner in relative silence, though, as always, it was very companionable. I let my thoughts wander to my plan for later, trying to push back a grin when the rain started, a soft _pt-pt _against the windows. Edward didn't seem to register the rain, pushing back from the table. I thought for a moment he was going for thirds, and I was going to make a joke but he was washing his dish instead. He came back and grabbed my empty plate and glass too.

"Let me help," I said hurriedly, but he set down the dishes next to the sink and put his hands on my shoulders, turning me around and gently pushing me in the direction of the living room.

"No, go find a movie for us to watch or something," he said soothingly, and then added with his grin, "The cook doesn't clean, silly girl."

"Well, I guess that clears me of dish duty for the rest of my life, because I'm never going to give you a chance to burn the house down."

Scowling, he smacked my ass to get me to scurry out, but it just made me stay still for a minute as I bit back a moan. Turning around, I saw a strange expression on Edward's face too before he hurriedly turned around -

Hiding the bulge that had sprung in his jeans.

I bit my lip to hold my cheer inside. Apparently, I wasn't the only one excited and turned on, affected by that ass-smack.

Which was perfect.

When Edward came in to the living room some time later - suspiciously longer than it should've taken him to wash the dishes - he didn't mention the earlier incident and neither did I. We snuggled on the couch, hunkering down to enjoy the romantic comedy I'd put in, not really in the mood for anything heavy.

I carefully made sure that I didn't look the least bit sleepy or drowsy the whole time, even when the movie was done and Edward's eyelids were drooping.

"I think it's time for bed mister," I suggested, running a hand down his face.

He smiled sleepily at me and took my hand to lead me down the hall where the bedrooms were. He stopped in front of my door and leaned down to give me a deep kiss good night. A hand wound in my hair, another hand gripped the small of my back, and his tongue did sinfully delicious things to my mouth, pillaging it for all it was worth. It was a hell of a lot hotter than I'd been expecting. I moaned, my hands fisting into his shirt as my knees began to weaken.

His hands started to inch down lower, his pinky skimming under the waistband of my pants before he abruptly pulled back, gasping. I was smiling brilliantly, gasping too.

"Sorry," he panted. "Got carried away."

Apparently that ass-smack was still affecting somebody. I bit my lip, hiding a triumphant smile, and instead gave him a coy grin good night, shutting my door softly.

I changed into my tiny sleep shorts and matching tank top, forgoing my bra as usual. I just didn't like sleeping with it on, and I was glad Edward was already familiar with that. I didn't want him to get suspicious this early in the game.

I pulled my covers back and laid down in bed. I didn't bother getting comfortable, instead shifting around a lot as the rain got harder, giving a believable impression of restlessness.

I had to be patient, and wait for an appropriate time frame to have passed. Sighing, I looked at my clock one more time and mentally cheered. Forty-five minutes was long enough to be believable.

Pushing my covers away, I left my room and took the few steps to Edward's door, stopping in front of it, hesitating. Not because I actually was hesitant, but because if he was still awake, I wanted him to think so. This would be a lot easier if he was asleep already but I doubted that. Sleepy Edward was a lot easier to convince than the sober, awake one though.

Finally, I knocked; timidly of course.

"Come in," he called clearly. Not a trace of sleep. Sigh.

I cautiously opened the door and slipped inside, closing it quietly behind me. I leaned against it tentatively as he looked at me, curious.

"Sorry," I said in a hushed voice. "I'm just…having trouble sleeping. I still don't really like the rain and…you know, it's a new room and everything…"

None of it was untrue exactly.

"I was just wondering if…maybe…I could sleep in here tonight?"

He sighed quietly in defeat. "It's okay," he said, not having to scoot over. He liked to sleep on a side of his bed already, not in the middle. He opened the covers on the empty side and I padded over, slipping in next to him contently. I snuggled into his side, resting my head on his shoulder, placing my hand on his chest, gripping his shirt. My leg slipping comfortably over one of his, the only un-stiff way to sleep in this position. He could hardly call me out on it.

He didn't, but his Adam's apple did bob deliciously as he swallowed, looking steadfastly at the ceiling. I leaned forward to kiss the delicious, quavering lump, loving the feel of it moving underneath my lips. My unbound breasts pressed flat against his chest, my nipples reflexively hardening. "Thanks love," I whispered. "I know you don't really want me in here but - "

"Bella, that's not it," he rushed to reassure, agonized. He finally let himself relax into me. "This is certainly not _punishment,_ I hope that's not how it's coming off."

I nodded my head quick, easing him. This _was _punishment - if you're talking sexually. I ignored that aspect though and let myself be reassured, relaxing against him, caressing his chest lightly.

"Sleep well," I murmured, kissing his chest, regretful for the t-shirt he wore.

He hummed in reciprocation, and I closed my eyes, comforted by his mouth-watering, comforting smell. This is where I was supposed to be.

But I knew I'd have to make up another excuse another night to get in here again.

As right as this was, the UST was nearly palpable.

I hadn't had relief in a month, not having had enough time to…take my matters into my own hands, so to speak. I felt awkward about doing it, since I'd never really had to before. I'd had Edward since I'd started exploring sexuality - him being the catalyst actually.

But I knew it was going to be a necessity.

And I had no idea if Edward had gotten some five-finger relief since the 'agreement' - probably - but he was a guy, and they always needed more. Plus, I was certain it was a thousand times better when it wasn't yourself doing it.

Edward was stiff underneath me for a good hour, one hand fisted into the blankets near my thigh.

I grinned. At least for now, Step 2 was complete.

Maybe this would be easier than I thought.

* * *

_UST = unresolved sexual tension_

_See also; what the Twilight series is chalk full of._

_See also; cock-block._

_See also; Edward._

;)

_Review please!_

- **Marauder Shagger**


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